We’ve all had a verruca – probably while at school – or know someone who has had one. These days, thanks to the proliferation of gym culture, adults are just as prone to develop them.
And, owing to the fact that we don’t like any imperfection on our bodies, I am increasingly seeing adults with verrucas.
In fact, the verruca home treatment market is worth £5 million – despite the fact that many of them are a waste of time. The best treatment for most verrucas is to leave them alone. Eventually they will go of their own accord.

But if you are experiencing pain from your verruca, or want rid of it, here’s what to do.
The body cures itself
Verrucas – small hard lumps – are warts on the foot. They are caused by a virus known as the human papillomavirus (HPV). They are usually picked up at swimming pools as the humid environment is ideal for the virus, which can survive for months on floors without a host. If you have any scratch or abrasion on your foot, the virus can enter the skin.
They can be up to the size of a 20p piece and form a slightly lumpy surface.
Unlike other warts, which stick outwards, these little hard lumps are pushed in by the weight of the foot. The little black spots that you see in them are tiny blood vessels and nine times out of ten if you squeeze or treat them they will bleed. Squeezing them will also be painful.
There are two sorts of verruca – the classic one, which is a small single lesion with black dots within the central core, and the mosaic verruca, which is a more widespread infection and looks like a cluster of lesions.
They are unlikely to become painful. With or without treatment, verrucas usually disappear within two to 18 months as the immune system does its job.